Questions and AnswersDr. Brigitta Stockinger

How or why did you become involved in infection research, what
fascinates you about this subject?
I became involved in infection research fairly recently following our discovery of the differentiation factors for Th17 generation. We got into this area by serendipity- an important driver of many turning points in my research career. At the time we were focused on T cell homeostasis and the various pathways that contribute to control of T cell subsets and numbers. Studying the effect of regulatory T cells on the cytokine profile of responder T cells we stumbled upon the emergence of IL-17 producing T cells in co-culture of naïve  and regulatory T cells in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus such as LPS.

I have been hooked by inflammation and infection since. What fascinates me is the intricate balance and immensely tunable interaction of innate and adaptive immune components.

What are you working on at the moment?
We are working on a fascinating connection between Th17 driven immune responses and their interaction with environmental components via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, a transcription factor that is expressed in Th17 T cells and reacts to environmental toxins such as dioxin, but also a wide variety of more interesting endogenous factors.

What were the turning points in science, in career, in life that influenced
your decisions?
After school I started studying arts in Mainz and Munich and quickly became disillusioned with the somewhat waffly concepts and aspirations of the art scene at that time (early 1970s). I attended some lectures in the Human Genetics section in Munich and was particularly enthralled by lectures on genetic disorders. This would have been a part of medical studies, but my school exams were not good enough to enter medicine, so I started a biology course in Mainz. The Biology education in Mainz was rather old-fashioned with a strong focus on zoology and botany which did not interest me that much either. However, I enjoyed the genetics course and through working in the Blood Transfusion center during my holidays I became fascinated by the genetics of blood groups. By sheer fortune I was able to attend an immunology course for medical students held at the Institute for Medical Microbiology and this eventually determined my entry into immunology.

What was a single most important moment of your career?
I consider meeting Liz Simpson to ask her for a postdoc position as very influential for my future. It determined my admiration for the way science is conducted in the UK in a far less hierarchical manner than in Germany and Liz Simpson remains a friend and mentor to this day.

Also my acceptance into the Basel Institute for Immunology shaped my future research career strongly because it allowed me complete freedom in choosing my research direction- something I would probably not have encountered so soon anywhere else.

What drives you and carries you on? What do you love about your work?
I love the excitement of unravelling complex biological mechanisms and the constant surprises on the way, provided one keeps an open mind. There are infinite possibilities to learn- more than it is possible to actually follow up, so there is very little routine and boredom about scientific research.

What influenced and impressed you and your life and therefore science?
My parents who gave me complete freedom to make my own mistakes, whilst quietly supporting me all the way. My father was a medical scientist, but never tried to push me in a particular direction and never once tried to dissuade me from studying arts although he must have had his thoughts about it. My father’s integrity in often difficult university politics, his love for his subject and support of his students have set the standards I am trying to achieve.

Idols?
Not really. Sounds too much like celebrity culture.

What would you recommend to someone starting out in science? What would be your advice for young scientists?
If there is one thing I would say to a young scientist starting out – despite all the hurdles and difficulties and sacrifices, what really matters in the end is their degree of determination and conviction. If they truly want to make a career in academic science, they will succeed.

What would have been your alternative plan (plan B) if science /your job
had not worked out?
I actually did not have a Plan B and have never been very good at planning my life very long in advance. I remember being told off for not thinking ahead to the next 5 years following my postdoc, but I always felt this would be limiting my options and enthusiasm.

What are your dreams for the future?
I’m not telling or they might not work out.

What do you think is important and should be worked on in the future?
I don’t think it is a good idea to push particular agendas. Too many research councils waste resources and time on ‘strategy planning’ when all that really matters is to fund innovative, risk taking and ground breaking work. I feel especially strongly that in all this drive towards translation, basic research should not be compromised or we will all run out of things to translate.

What do you do when you are not working?
Just relaxing things like gardening, photography, reading (not papers).

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